Public Health Minister Daniel Rivera said that once enough vaccines arrive, the government will open up the vaccination to all over 18 years of age. He said once there are enough vaccines, the plan is to proceed as if it were an election day, with everyone being able to get vaccinated on the same day. He observed the voting stations have capacity to serve around 500 persons per location. He made the remarks when interviewed for El Despertador morning TV show on Channel 9.
He did not have information on the date for the arrival of the next batch of Covid-19 vaccines. Journalist Rosa Encarnación asked when the vaccines would arrive on several occasions yet the minister evaded the response several times. He expects the vaccine imports this week, but there is no fixed date for the arrival of the next batch of 1 million vaccines.
He said that large quantities of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines have been contracted. There is no date yet for their arrival. Meanwhile, several European countries have suspended rollouts of the UK-made AstraZeneca vaccine. There is concern it could cause blood clots.
Public Health Miinster Rivera said that the AstraZeneca vaccine used here is manufactured by India Serum Institute, the Covishield vaccine. He said on TV: “The AstraZeneca vaccine that is being applied in the country is not the same that is being questioned in Europe for adverse reactions. Here we are vaccinating with Covishield, manufactured in India.” Dominicans were in the understanding that while it was manufactured outside the UK, it was the same vaccine. He said 11 million have been vaccinated in the UK and nothing has happened.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also defends the AstraZeneca vaccine. Same as the Dominican Republic, Canada is using AstraZeneca vaccine lots imported from India.
Dr. Rivera says that as of 14 March 2021, 675,000 Dominicans have been vaccinated with the first dose. He said the vaccination plan is now restricted to guarantee the country has enough doses to guarantee the second dose that falls due starting 24 March. The second dose for the vaccination are 28 days for Sinovac/Coronavac and 8-12 weeks for AstraZeneca.
He said the government continues to give priority to those 68+. He said persons of this age can go to the Ministry of Public Health regular vaccination centers to get vaccinated.
The Ministry of Public Health now says that it is vaccinating only those in the VacunateRD online system and public school pre-school and elementary school teachers, and those 68+. Being registered in the system is no guarantee you will be contacted. But, those interested in getting vaccinated can give the online system a try. In Santo Domingo, bookings are at Santo Domingo Vaccination app
Rivera stressed the importance of the vaccination is that it practically eliminates the lethality of the disease and the likelihood of being hospitalized for the disease.
Vice President Raquel Peña says : “We will receive one million vaccines in the coming days.” She reported the cargo of the one million Sinovac/Coronavac vaccines is ready for embarking at the Beijing Capital Airport in China. The Embassy of China shared a video of the vaccine vials cargo at the airport.
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Noticias SIN
Noticias SIN
15 March 2021